Obsolescence Strengthens Progression
One goal of game design is to make players feel they have made progress by the end of the game. A game where the end feels the same as the beginning has an
Progression
Players like things to change throughout the game. They especially like to become stronger, so that by the end of the game, they feel a concrete improvement.
Sticky Choices Increase Replayability
Some choices are reversible, such as moving armies around a board in Risk or discarding a power card in Spirit Island. Others are permanent, such as constructing a building in Catan or earning
How to Incentivize Difficulty Settings
One challenge in designing a single-player game is that players have varying skill levels. Challenging gameplay is good, but the traditional method of choosing a difficulty level is not very rewarding for
The Most Satisfying Reward Might Be To Remove a Problem
It is tempting to see progression in games as a process of gaining more and more resources and options. But options create noise. When players have many options, it takes more effort to
Personal Progression Undermines Team Cooperation
Some of the best experiences in games come from teams. They create feelings of camaraderie and shared purpose that can't be achieved any other way. The best team games keep everyone